The recent surge in COVID-19 experienced by Berrien County may be peaking, but it’s too early to say. During a Wednesday update, Berrien County Health Department Medical Director Rex Cabaltica said the cases are still high with widespread community transmission.
“Over the past seven days, we’ve seen nearly 1,000 cases here in Berrien County,” Cabaltica said. “That’s about 125, 126 new cases each day in just the past seven days. So that’s quite a few.”
The percent positivity is about 23%. Spectrum Health Lakeland CEO Loren Hamel said there were 69 COVID patients in the hospital as of Wednesday, and many of them had something in common.
“Of those current 69 patients, 88 percent of them are unvaccinated,” Hamel said. “100% of our ICU patients are unvaccinated, and essentially all of the deaths that we have experienced over the last several weeks have been individuals that are unvaccinated.”
Hamel said Spectrum Health Lakeland is at red status, which means normal capacity has been exceeded as patients are placed in areas where they usually wouldn’t be and nurses are caring for more patients. With omicron soon to dominate, Hamel said it will still be a few weeks before we know if it’s less severe. Meanwhile, it’s also much more contagious. Hamel and Cabaltica recommended honesty about symptoms and testing before seeing family for Christmas.
